


Ulterior Motives

by enigma_kar



Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: Angst, Fluff, M/M, Pre-Slash, beginning relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-05
Updated: 2013-05-05
Packaged: 2017-12-10 06:54:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/783117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enigma_kar/pseuds/enigma_kar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Oh Martin, I thought you knew me. I never have any less than seven ulterior motives. This one, I’ve had for quite some time.”<br/>In which Douglas is cunning, Martin is suspicious and both of them are in love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ulterior Motives

**Author's Note:**

> This is something that has been lurking in the back of my mind for a while now. I've taken the theory that Douglas is in love with Carolyn (based on how he has acted around Herc) and twisted it to my liking... I have also, for the purposes of this, sort of... ignored the fact Princess Theresa exists...  
> It's a bit more light-hearted and fluffy than my previous attempt at CP fanfiction, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless.  
> Set after the events of Xinzhou and does contain some spoilers.

** Ulterior Motives **

“Douglas? Are you in love with Carolyn?”

They were flying back to Fitton from China, after finally taking off just after dawn. The skies cleared just as they left Chinese airspace, Arthur had made some coffee which took their minds off the hunger and, true to her promise, Carolyn was still dozing in a reclined seat. It really could not have been more content. Until Martin's spoke, of course. 

Douglas started at Martin’s question. “What?” he asked sharply, his voice a few octaves higher than its usual deep purr.

“Are you in love with Carolyn?” Martin repeated, only looking slightly dissuaded by his first officer’s tense reply.

“Whatever makes you ask that, Martin?” Douglas said.

“Last night, uh... earlier today, actually, when Carolyn was talking about letting Herc move to Zurich...” Martin glanced over at Douglas who was giving him a warning stare. “Uh... I saw the look on your face and I just thought...”

“Yes, Captain?” Douglas said, his voice grating. “What _precisely_ did you think?”

“I... I... ehm...” Martin flustered. Then, taking a breath, he said in very rushed tones, “I just thought you might be in love with her! Because when I first saw you with Herc when we flew him and his crew to Newcastle, the pair of you acted like you were the oldest of friends. And then, when he and Carolyn started, you know, being in the same place together, you were all cold towards him and started calling him Herc the Berk and I just... just though that...” he started stammering again as Douglas’s glare grew harder. “I thought that... maybe you were being like that because... because you... fancied Carolyn?”

Douglas said nothing, but finally turned away from glaring at Martin, and a strained silence fell in the flight deck. Martin was just about to apologise for even bringing it up, when Douglas spoke.

“That’s very observant of you.” His voice was soft, like he had finally been defeated.

“Uh... thank you?”

“Not at all.”

“So... is it? I mean, am I right?”

Douglas glanced up again. “About me fancying Carolyn?”

“Do you?”

Douglas sighed and fidgeted in his seat. Looking at his first officer, Martin frowned. He couldn’t ever recall Douglas looking so indecisive. “I... oh, what the hell, yes. Yes, I do.” He paused, then added sardonically, “well done.”

“Oh.” Martin felt his face crumple and turned away in haste; he didn’t want Douglas to see the disappointment written there. “That’s uh...” He swallowed and then, forcibly composing himself, looked back at the older man. “Sorry. I’m sorry.”

Douglas gave a small, strained smile. “I know. But you know what they say, plenty more fish in the sea.” He gave a painfully pathetic attempt at a laugh and Martin had to look away again, his eyes finding the light fluffy clouds that riddled the blue sky.

He’d been in love with his first officer for nearly eighteen months now. The past six of those, he’d been increasingly suspicious of Douglas’s attachment to Carolyn. And now, after so long, he had it confirmed. Douglas was in love with Carolyn. Not Martin. _Never_ Martin. It has been wrong of him to even hope, really. What would someone like Douglas ever see in someone like him? And yet, Martin _had_ hoped. There were times when Douglas would turn and smile at him for no apparent reason and Martin would smile back, his whole face lighting up with simple pleasure of the movement.

Now though, Martin felt like he would never smile again. And he blinked back tears in his suddenly watering eyes.

The rest of the trip passed in uncomfortable silence, broken only by professional announcements, and Douglas uttered a barely audible goodbye before leaving the plane. It took Martin a few minutes after this, to make up his mind. He needed to apologise again. If Douglas was in love with Carolyn, then the news of Herc and Carolyn becoming more serious would be hurting him. The very least Martin could do, as a friend, was be there for him.

Martin positively flew out of the plane, yelling hasty farewells to Carolyn and Arthur, and rushed to catch up with his first officer.

“Douglas!”

The older man had nearly reached his car when he turned and blinked in surprise at his approaching captain. “Good lord, Martin. Are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine,” Martin breathed, slightly out of breath. “I... I was just... I just w...wanted to...”

“Well, spit it out. Comfortable you may be to stand out in this cool February air, _I_ , on the other hand, would rather be getting into my heated car about now.”

“Right, sorry,” Martin blushed and looked away. “I just wanted to, uh, say sorry again for... bringing up what I did.”

“Martin...”

“No, please let me finish. I really am sorry. It was... unprofessional to question you like that and I... I know how hard it must have been to admit how you, uh, feel. If you ever need to talk about it... I mean, I know you probably won’t want to, considering... but if you do, know that I-”

He was abruptly cut off, as Douglas closed the gap between then, brought his hands up to gently clasp Martin’s cheeks and pressed a kiss to his mouth. There was a moment; a tiny fraction of a second, where Martin stood there in shock. Then, just like he had done in so many of his daydreams, he kissed Douglas back. He lifted his hands to the taller man’s hips and used the leverage to bring them together. Douglas gasped into his mouth and shifted to tangle his fingers in Martin’s hair. The cold air suddenly didn’t seem so cold and Martin could feel a fierce warmth spreading through every inch of him that was pressed into Douglas. It was more perfect than he had ever been able to imagine.

When lack of air started to become an issue they broke apart and stood there breathing heavily; curls of smoke escaping their lips in the cool air. “What,” gasped Martin. “What was that?”

Douglas tilted his head ever so slightly. “Surely you are not _that_ inexperienced, Martin.”

“Douglas!”

“Fine,” he managed to look a little guilty. “I’m sorry.” There was a pause, during which a large part of Martin was considering just kissing Douglas again and to hell with getting some answers. “I’ve been somewhat juvenile in my actions.”

“In what way?” Martin demanded. “I... I thought you were in love with Carolyn? Or did I mishear our entire conversation earlier?”

“You didn’t mishear me. I did tell you I’m in love with Carolyn.”

“So, what was that then,” Martin waved a hand between them, indistinguishably. “A joke? Are you just... messing with me? Because if you are Douglas, I just want to say that... that’s got to be the cruelest thing anyone’s ever done to me. I never would have-”

He was cut off again, as Douglas’s lips found his for a second time. It was gentler this time and when they pulled back, Douglas cupped Martin’s cheek for a few seconds longer. He looked down at his captain with earnest eyes. “I am not messing with you, Martin. Please, let me explain.”

“Okay,” Martin said, his voice trembling ever so slightly.

“I’m not in love with Carolyn. I’m in love with you, Martin.”

“What?!” squeaked Martin.

Douglas smiled fondly. “I’m in love with you. I just... I didn’t know if you felt the same.”

“So you pretended to be in love with Carolyn?” Martin frowned.

“In its most basic terms, yes. I knew you’d eventually notice how my attitude towards Herc changed. And I knew you would ask me about it. To be honest, I had rather hoped you’d work it out sooner.”

“I’ve been suspicious for six months,” muttered Martin and Douglas raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“Well, I knew you’d eventually ask me about it. And when you did, it would be only too easy to admit that I was in love with Carolyn and then watch your reaction. I must say, I hadn’t expected your face to crumble so much. But, I knew then, that those were not the words you wanted to hear. And, therefore I was able to conclude that you loved me too. Or at least liked me enough to be disappointed by the fact I was in love with someone else.” Douglas smiled again at the dawning comprehension on Martin’s face. “Simple really.”

“You! You...” Martin was wide-eyed and opened mouthed in disbelief. “You pretended to be in love with Carolyn to actually get with me? As some sort of... of... ulterior motive or something?!”

“Oh Martin,” Douglas sighed in mock disappointment. “I thought you knew me. I never have any less than seven ulterior motives. _This_ one, I’ve had for quite some time.”

“Really? You’ve had an ulterior motive that involved... me? G...getting with me? But, why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Martin said, sounding both infuriated and completely joyous. “I’ve been in love with you for nearly two years, you sod!”

Douglas looked a little shocked at that omission and ducked his head. “I’m sorry, Martin. I didn’t know how you’d react.”

This, coming from someone who was always sure about everything was somewhat amusing, so Martin giggled. Douglas’s eyes shot back up at the noise and he gave the younger man a pouting smile. “Are you laughing at me, Captain?”

“No,” Martin said, a grin lighting up his face. And Douglas really had no choice but to lean down and kiss him again.


End file.
